Reversing mechanism



(No Model.)

J. BALDWIN.

REVERSING MECHANISM.

No. 248,271. Patnted 0 1;. 18,1881.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH F. BALDWIN, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

REVERSING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,271, dated October 18, 1881.

Application filed December 18, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. BALDWIN, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Reversing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide simple and effective mechanism for automatically reversing the rotation of a washing-machine cylinder or other rotary body, so that the same shall rotate alternately in opposite directions instead of continuously in the same direction.

The invention consists, as a whole, in the combination of a sliding belt-shipper, a pivoted operating-lever engaged therewith, and a wheel positively rotated bysuitable connections with a prime motor, and provided with parallel grooves, each adapted to receive a projection on the operating-lever and to move said projection laterally into the other groove when the wheel reaches a given point in its rotation, thereby moving the operating-lever and cansing the latter to operate the shipper which changes the driving-belts running on fast and loose pulleys inthe usual manner to revers the rotation of the cylinder.

Thein-vention also consists in certain details of construction, all of which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a top view of myimproved reversing mechanism. Fig. 2 represents an end view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 00 :20, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of the grooved wheel. Figs. 5 and 6 represent views of a portion of the periphery of the grooved wheel developed as a plane surface.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, A represents a fixed outer cylinder or casin g, in which is journaled the rotary inner cylinder of a washing-machine, said inner cylinder (not shown in thedrawings) being rotated by the shaft S, to which power is applied from a counter-shaft, S, through meshing-gears c d, attached, respectively, to the shafts S and S.

The counter-shaft S is provided with two loose pulleys, a a, and an intermediate fast pulley, b. On these pulleys run two belts, B B, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) one open and the other crossed.

g represents a belt-shipper, having belt guides or yokes s s. This shipper is supported and adapted toslide in suitable hearings in a fixed arm, 7c, and in a sleeve, attached to the cylinder A, so as to ship each of the belts B B from one pulley to another.

1 represents a lever pivoted at m to a. fixed arm, 1', and engaged at one end with the shipper g by entering a slot in said shipper.

hreprcsen ts a disk or wheel, rigidly-attached to a shaft, D,whichis journaled in a fixed arm, E, said shaft being substantially parallel with the shafts S S. 6 represents a gear also rigidly attached to the shaft D by the side of the wheel h, and meshing with a gear, f, on the 'outer end of the shaft S, so that the shaft 0 and its wheel It will be rotated by the shaft S.

The wheel h is provided in its periphery with two parallel grooves, h h These grooves terminate in curved walls or guides h adjoining which are openings 0 0 in the wall w, between the grooves h h The lever lis provided with a projection, 0, which is adapted to enter either of the grooves of the wheel h. The walls or guides h are so formedthat each guide is adapted, when it comes in contact with the projection 12 in the rotation of the-wheel h, to move said projection laterally through one of the openings 0 into the other groove, thus giving the leverl a sufficient movement on its pivot to cause the lever to operate the belt-shipper g, and thereby shift one of the belts from one of the loose pulleys to the fast pulley and the other belt from the fast pulley to the other loose pulley, as will be readily understood, thereby reversing the rotation of the shafts S, S, and D. When the reverse movement of the wheel h brings the other wall or guide h to the projection 2 said projection is moved laterally into the other groove, and another reversal is effected, and so on, the walls or guides h 'h acting alternately in moving the projection 19, the lever l, and the shipper g. In each groove there is a space, h between the opening 0, through which the projection 19 enters the groove and the wall 100 7L3. These spaces I term rests, their object being to permit the wheel to have a brief continued movement, caused by the momentum of the rotating parts of the described mechanism after the shifting of the belts and before the reverse movement commences.

The wall w is beveled at W for the purpose of preventing injury to the projection 19 and to the end of the wall after the reverse movement of the wheel h commences, in case said projection is moved toward the opening 0 by any lateral pressure exerted on the belt-shipper by the belt. It may sometimes happen that the projection 1) will be moved laterally to such an extent that were it notfor the beveled portions to, it would collide more or less violently with the end of the wall to.

The projection 12 is preferably in the form of a plunger having a stem, 1), and handlep and working in a socket, 12 ,011 the lever l, and pressed down by a spring, 11 This construction enables the projection to be raised and disengaged from the grooves of the wheel 71, as shown in Fig. 2.

The socket p is provided with an angular slot, 10*, adapted to support in its upper part a pin on the stem p and hold the projection in an elevated position.

1' represents a friction-roller on the lower portion of the projection 19. By making the projection 12 movable the lever 1 can be readily disengaged, so that the belts can be readily set on the loose pulleys. When the projection 12 is raised the lever should be locked to prevent accidental movement.

The described reversing mechanism is simple and eifective and not-liable to get out of order. The grooves h ]L2 hold the projection 11, so that no movement of the same can take place by'accident.

I claim- 1. The combination of the sliding belt-shipper g, the pivoted lever Z, engaged with the shipper, and the positively-rotated disk or wheel h, having parallel peripheral grooves h k each adapted to receive a projection, 12, on the lever l, and each terminating in a guide or wall, If, adapted to guide the projection platerally into the other groove, and thereby move the lever l and shipper g, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the shipper-operating lever I, having the projection 17, the disk or wheel it, having the grooves hh guides or walls h h, and rests 71- h, whereby space is afforded for a brief continuation of the movement of the wheel h after the projection 19 enters each groove, as set forth.

3. The combination of the shipper-operating lever Z, having the projection 12, and the disk or wheel Inhaving the grooves h/i ,theguides 7L3 h, and the interposed wall to, separating the grooves, and provided with beveled ends to, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the grooved wheel h, of the shipper-operating lever 1, having the movable projection 1), whereby said lever may be engaged with or disengaged from the wheel It, as set forth.

In testimony whereot'I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of Decemher, A. D. 1880.

JOSEPH F. BALDWVIN.

Witnesses:

G. F. BROWN, W. GLIMo. 

